Committee decided to place one of them in temporary detention pending referral to the court.
The NIHR also followed up on the ruling issued by the Lower Criminal Court, which sentenced
four defendants to two-month imprisonment for ripping the electoral advertisements of some
candidates in the Northern Governorate and a fine of 200 dinars each, and ordered a suspension of
sentence.
11. In addition, the NIHR monitored through social media the frustration and annoyance of a number
of citizens with some candidates who, as propaganda and publicity, have acted in a way to
influence their opinion and choice by conducting house visits and collecting information regarding
the number of family members and their telephone numbers. On the other hand, The NIHR has
monitored complaints from candidates expressing their annoyance from receiving telephone calls
and text messages asking them for money in the form of aid under the cover of poverty, debt, and
illness.
12. The NIHR monitored a statement on the official social media account of the Public Prosecutor’s
Office stating that its Investigation Committee for Electoral Crimes received a report from the
Supreme Committee for the General Supervision of the Soundness of Elections about a video that
circulated on social media sites, showing the campaign manager of one of the candidates paying
money to a number of voters in return for their pledge to vote for the candidate. In addition, the
candidate and those running his campaign assisted voters in order to cast their votes in his favor.
The Public Prosecution initiated the investigation with all the parties.
13. The NIHR believes that, although the law and the regulating decisions related to the electoral
process are based on the principle of freedom of such publicity and propaganda, and that it is
restricted by a number of controls to ensure proper practice, it was observed that a number of
candidates have used electoral propaganda that is not in conformity with the status of the Council
to which such candidates might become members therein. In addition to the specified legal controls,
it is necessary in all cases that the election propaganda respects public taste and the moral values of
the society.
14. The Supreme Committee for the General Supervision of the Soundness of Elections declared, 24
hours from the date of the ballot as determined by law, that 23 November 2018 is the election silence
day in the first round, and that 30 November 2018 is the re-run, in which all election propaganda
should be ceased all over the Kingdom.
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